Two women with long records of public service are vying to be the circuit court clerk in Lake County.
Two-term incumbent Erin Cartwright Weinstein, a Democrat, is seeking another four years in office. She is facing Republican challenger Carla Wyckoff, a former Lake County clerk in the Nov. 5 election.
Both candidates are attorneys running for an office whose job is to oversee the preparation and maintenance of court records, in addition to collecting fees and processing paperwork.
Weinstein was elected clerk in 2016 after a career as an assistant state’s attorney and in private practice. In addition to serving as county clerk, Wyckoff has been an assistant state’s attorney, most recently in McHenry County, and she also worked for the American Medical Association, including spending time as a lobbyist.
Weinstein and Wyckoff offered their ideas about the office during a recent candidates night sponsored by Lake County chapters of the League of Women Voters.
During the forum, both agreed that the most important part of being the circuit court clerk is administering the changes to the court system, as they are revised and implemented by the state Supreme Court and the General Assembly.
During the forum, Wyckoff criticized Weinstein for a lawsuit that three former circuit court clerk employees filed against Weinstein. The employees, who supported Weinstein’s opponent in the 2016 race, alleged that Weinstein fired them for political reasons.
The suit went to trial, and the employees were awarded $2.6 million. Weinstein said the suit remains in litigation, and “not one cent” has been paid.
Weinstein said that if she were re-elected, she would continue to work on making the court system more accessible, as well as maintaining successful programs and improvements that have been implemented.
Wyckoff said she would, if elected, make the circuit court clerk’s office apolitical. She also said she would lead by example, and work to improve what she said are negative online reviews of the office.
